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MANSFIELD – An audit released today of an internal theft within the DeSoto District Attorney's office already is out of date as far as the amount of money authorities say was stolen.

Another audit underway should have a more up-to-date amount. It's being conducted by the Louisiana Legislative Auditor's office, which has staff members continuing to perform field work for their separate investigation.

The theft discovered earlier this year led to the arrest in February of longtime employee Melanie Barber, 32, of Mansfield. She is charged with monetary instrument abuse, malfeasance in office and filing or maintaining false public records.

Mansfield police arrested Barber following a month-long investigation into misappropriated funds from accounts related to worthless check collections and pre-trial diversion fees. Barber devised a scheme where she would accept money orders for payments of fees and penalties then sign and cash them at a local business and the DeSoto Parish sheriff's office, according to Police Chief Gary Hobbs.

A joint investigation with the Louisiana Attorney General's office indicated over $100,000 in public funds is missing. The district attorney's annual audit conducted by Postlethwaite & Netterville, an independent auditing firm in Baton Rouge, states the theft occurred between 2009 and 2014, with about $35,000 stolen in 2013 alone.

Through a series of court-ordered subpoenas to obtain additional banking records, the police department has since revised the theft amount to over $150,000. The thefts date to 2004, two years after Barber's employment, Hobbs said today.

Auditors noted that Barber had access to the post office box where the checks were received and her duties included recording and depositing payments and pulling warrants in CRIMES, a case management system. To strengthen internal controls auditors recommended – and District Attorney Richard Johnson Jr. said he adopted – a corrective plan that segregates duties of those handling the diversion and worthless checks fees.

Going forward, the person who enters the receipts and subsequently issues warrants is not the same person who collects the money orders, Johnson responded in the audit.

"No one that collects funds from the public will have access or make entries into the CRIMES system or issue warrants. Lastly, we will specifically request that the DeSoto Parish sheriff not allow any checks written to our office be cashed in his office and notify us immediately if someone tries to do so in the future," according to Johnson's management response. CRIMES is a statewide system most district attorneys use to track criminal cases.

In a separate interview, Johnson said the changes appear to be working so far. It required him to reassign duties of an employee and hire another one.

"We will be tracking the diversion and hot checks more in the future to keep this from happening again," he said.

Barber, who was fired when arrested, is set for arraignment Oct. 9. The delay is because of the ongoing investigation and court-related recusals impacting her case.

Johnson recused his office because of Barber's former employment, meaning Assistant Attorney General Mike Ruddick will act as prosecutor. And two local judges removed themselves from hearing her case, prompting the appointment of Judge Fred Sexton.

At a hearing in July, attorney Steve Thomas, who heads the DeSoto Parish Indigent Defenders Board, presented the court with qualification guidelines for those needing financial assistance, along with copies of Barber's 2013 income tax and a bankruptcy Chapter 13 wage earners plan. As a result, Sexton released Barber from the ID board's representation.

Barber has until her arraignment appearance to retain new counsel, according to court minutes.

Other than "tidying up a few things," Hobbs said the police department's investigation is almost concluded. "We have just a few more questions. All of the information has been turned over to the legislative auditors."